Auld Yin

The Times article is a stupid, tasteless piece. I found the `Up Yours America` comment ridiculous, because no country practices that attitude more than the UK. Canadians in general love Americans and America. We spend a great deal of our time and money there. Sure we have rivalries in sport but that`s a good thing.

Almost Canadian

You must live in a very different Canada to the one I do. Every Canadian I know was extolling the virtues of "Own the Podium" right up until it became apparent that they weren't going to. Do you not remember the media's response to the USA athlete that had the temerity to suggest that the US would rent it for the period of the Olympics?

I did not find the article stupid or tasteless. It gave a good impression of Canada save for the "Own the Podium" campaign

Oink

It's the small town ungracious mentality that comes through. As I said, I haven't really noticed that with the ordinary people but the Canadian media has been absolutely embarrassingly fifth grade and definitely not the Olympic spirit.

Even on Global News last night, they had big section about how the US TV was being nice about Vancouver and Canada? It was really quite sad.

JonboyE

The article repeats the lie the British media are spouting about the sliding track.

The number of practice runs each team are entitled to is decided by the IOC and it delegates this to the International Luge Federation. VANOC have no input whatsoever into this. There is no suggestion that VANOC denied anyone the opportunity to use their full entitlement of practice runs.

The author seems to take offense at the "own the podium" name, but not the program itself. As he says, if it was called Canadian Excellence everything would be just fine. Why does he take such offense? Because he thinks the word "own" is an Americanism. WTF? You have to take offense very easily, or be struggling to think of a new negative stance, to get offended by that.

Ask an average Canadian and all they think it means is win as many medals as possible. The biggest mistake the program founders made was that they obviously didn't consider the precious sensibilities of the British media when thinking up a name.

A more informed commentator pointed out that the US success in the medal table was a direct result of the similar winter sports development program they initiated for the 2002 games.


And. BTW, there is still a reasonable chance that Canada will win the medal table, as long as we count it in the British way of number of gold medals first.

Auld Yin

I never, for one nano-second, believed that Canada would win the majority of medals, given the presence of the USA, Russia the Nordic and Alpine countries. I, and I believe most Canadians perceived it as a way to promote the Games and Canadian pride. When the UK hosts in 2012 their Olympic Committee will do its utmost to promote the Games and British pride, and so it should.

Almost Canadian

Are you confusing Brits with Americans? What is this British way? (I understood it was the Americans that used to count each medal awarded to the teams members to ensure that, in their world, they topped the medals table at the Beijing Olympics).

Who really cares who says what about whom? I cannot believe how sensitive Canadians are being to what is said about them around the world.

jimf

Mathew Pinsent puts it slightly differently, also in the Times.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/spo...cle7041842.ece

JonboyE

He's got no future in journalism.

dollface

Why wouldn't Canada care what is said about them around the world? they are as proud a nation as any other and want the games to be a success as well as positive promotion in terms of future tourisim and as a place to do business. No one wants their country/people slated.
What a silly thing to say AC.

Pammy

Luckily a lot of Canadians dont even know much about Europe so prob dont pay much attention, many a time I have been asked exactly where Scotland is, they have no idea what the UK comprises of, they think the scots still wear kilts and herd sheep and the english drink tea, carry brollies and abstain from sex

dollface

You mean..........it aint so?.................

Pammy

I cant comment on the english but us scots had all our sheep burned so no more herding there.....sorry if I have upset any farmers on here....if it makes you feel better we had to have our 6 pet ones done too.

dollface

ow no.......................

JonboyE

The North American way is to count the aggregate total of medals. By this count Canada is 4th, maybe 3rd. However, in another thread Alan2005 was disparaging about the Canadian media ranking countries this way and cited the BBC as doing it properly by ranking countries in the order of gold medals won.

I was just having a little dig as Canada may top the medal table in the proper BBC way.

JonboyE

Does this also explain the lack of sex?